ABSTRACT:
Anthropomorphic avatars and disembodied voices have become part of everyday
life in Japan. From the animated characters that bow after you complete a
transaction at an automated teller machine to the phenomenal proliferation of
consumer goods bearing cute faces. There is a discernable growing tendency to
anthropomorphize machines. These anthropomorphic devices stand in contrast with
the somewhat automated nature of many human interactions. Particularly in the
behavior required of employees that work in customer service roles, which calls
to mind the demand that workers must often behave as machines from which the
notion of a robot originates. Based on research conducted at the National
Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo, examples not only of how
friendliness can be mechanically produced but also of new devices being imbued
with functions to demonstrate their friendliness will be critically examined.